In spite of the overwhelming shift towards digital photography, 35 mm film cameras still have their staunch supporters. Lomography analog film cameras came about when a couple of Austrian students stumbled across a Russian LOMO LC-A film camera in the early 1990s. They offer an experimental approach to shooting 35 mm film with effects like fisheye and 360 degree panorama. The latest model comes with a newly-developed ultra-wide-angle lens that sits on the very border of fish-eye and gives users a choice of half-frame, full-frame and square 35 mm photo formats ... and it's also very expensive.

The 4.25 x 2.67 x 1.75-inch (108 x 68 x 44.5 mm) LOMO LC-Wide camera is of similar proportions to the company's LC-A+ model and features a new 17 mm Minigon 1 Ultra-Wide-Angle lens with a focus range of 1.3 feet (0.4 meters) to infinity. The lens has an angle of view of 103 degrees in 36 x 24 mm full frame format, 89 degrees in square 24 x 24mm or 81 degrees in 17 x 24 mm half-frame.

Users can choose to insert a full, half or square plastic frame into the film chamber for a full roll of photos in one format or remove them altogether and switch between the three using manual controls on the bottom of the camera. There's an automatic exposure feature and ISO100 to ISO1600 sensitivity, and unlimited multiple exposures.

Popular low-fi effects like vignetting and color saturation also feature but I wonder if even the most die-hard 35 mm film camera fan would happily part with the asking price of US$389 (with bundles such as the Mad Scientist kit and the Ultimate package also on offer at extra cost).

Personally, I think I'll stick with my trusty digital camera and add any trendy effects with the laptop before printing ... what about you?

While Paul is loath to reveal his age, he will admit to cutting his IT teeth on a TRS-80 (although he won't say which version). An obsessive fascination with computer technology blossomed from hobby into career before the desire for sunnier climes saw him wave a fond farewell to his native Blighty in favor of Bordeaux, France. He's now a dedicated newshound pursuing the latest bleeding edge tech for Gizmag.

a camera that uses film? how quaint, I have been so impressed by my Olympus Stylus 7040 recent purchase I will prolly never use my Minolta SRT 101 ever again

Bill Bennett

Funny, this comment would have been reversed when 35mm was king, and digital in it\'s infancy, \"Personally, I think I\'ll stick with my trusty digital camera\". I can\'t think of a good reason to step back into the future. Can\'t say I miss the hours and hours of darkroom lab work.

Drifter

I love this, but it is a gadget for geekey photographers. I would rather prefer a MF camera if film would be a choice.